Increased Water Consumption

Increased Water Consumption: Overview

Drinking enough water is a challenge for most people. Most of us rely strictly on thirst as a reminder to drink, and a mild thirst is an easy sensation to ignore. Relying on thirst alone is usually not enough to make a sufficient difference in how much water you are consuming. Some additional measure is usually required in order to establish this new habit.

Drinking at random times of the day. For example, every time the phone rings think "When was my last drink of water?"

If you are working in front of a computer screen all day, you can set alarms every couple of hours to remind you to take a drink.

If you have regular breaks at work, develop a habit of starting each break with a drink.

Every time you think of drinking a soda, drink water instead.

Instructions

There is no clear evidence that drinking water during meals hinders digestion. Drinking liquids with meals is usually a matter of preference. However, if your digestion is weak, it is probably best to drink an hour or two after a meal.

Do not forget to increase salt consumption along with the extra water. When drinking lots of water throughout the day, salts (especially sodium) are washed through the kidneys and voided. Increasing salt in the diet helps prevent any imbalance that could result from significant water consumption and low salt intake. For every two quarts of water consumed per day consider an additional 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt added either to the water or food.

Increased Water Consumption can help with the following:

Allergy

Circulation

The first step in treating hypotension is generally to increase fluid intake. Patients who have discovered the importance of drinking fluids regularly throughout the day seem to do better than those who don't take this task seriously. Drink a minimum of eight glasses per day of non-alcoholic fluids. Sports drinks that are high in sodium and potassium are recommended, especially during exercise or in hot weather.

Digestion

Drinking water adds fluid to the colon and bulk to stools, making bowel movements softer and easier to pass. People who have problems with constipation should drink enough water every day, at least eight 8-ounce glasses depending on weight. Other liquids such as coffee and soft drinks contain caffeine and seem to have a dehydrating effect.

Some people are helped by drinking 16oz (half liter) of water after a meal. This gives the stomach extra weight which may pull it downward and allow better closure of the lower esophageal sphincter. Additional downward pressure can be achieved by jumping off a chair after a meal before or after drinking the 16oz of water. The sudden stop on landing has been shown to reduce hiatal hernias and also caused heartburn symptoms to subside.

Habits

Immunity

Infections

The mainstay of prevention is to keep the urine dilute by drinking fluids and urinating often. Added water consumption during an infection will help flush out the problem bacteria. Repeated infections may require that routine water consumption be increased to prevent their recurrence.

Drinking more water alone has resolved many cases of H. Pylori infection. The suggested amount is 1 quart per 50 pounds of body weight or generally about 12 glasses per day. Most ulcers can be treated with water consumption and regular use of a good probiotic product. (Am J Gastroenterol May 1999;94: pp.1200-2.)

Metabolic

Musculo-Skeletal

Neck / Spine

Drink lots of water to maintain optimal hydration for disc integrity, and help reduce any acid buildup in muscles. Often two large glasses of water helps within minutes. Consistent rehydration may eliminate and prevent future low back pain.

Nervous System

Studies show that water intoxication increases susceptibility to seizures even in normal individuals. Through a complex process, excessive water intake can lower sodium content in body fluids and predispose one to seizures.

Organ Health

Prevention is very important especially in those with a high likelihood of developing this condition since the recurrence rate of stone formation is very high. Drinking a lot of water is the best preventative measure: drink enough to produce approximately 2 liters (one-half gallon) of urine per day. Adequate fluid intake helps prevent kidney stone problems by allowing most small stones to pass through.

Organ Health

Drinking plenty of water hydrates the throat and prevents the formation of tonsil stones. Carbonated drinks, preferably seltzer water, tonic water or club soda, have been known to help dislodge tonsil stones.

Your body is a highly complex, interconnected system. Instead of guessing at what might be wrong, let us help you discover what is really going on inside your body based on the many clues it is giving.